The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1887-11-26
IS Old Sims.''

! "Gov. McEnery's speeches, so industriously
| reproduced by our administration friends, arc
proof enough, in cur mind, that, if reelected,
we can expect nothing from him but repeti-
! tion of his old sins against right and Dem
ocracy y."-Lake Charles Commercial
Yes, such '' old sins" as he tells of on the
hustings as follows-and these statements no
reformer has attempted to refute:
| What was the condition of the state from
1877 to 1880? The taxes were not vigorously
collected; no attempt was made TO enforce
the collection of delinquent taxes; large
floating debt was created; interest on the
public debt was deiaulted; epidemics, through
an inadequate quarantine system, devasted
the State, and no system of improved santa
ry and quarantine protection was devised
assessments were unequal and confused there
was no encouragement given to education;
the public educational institutions were in
debt, demoralized and inefficient; there were
no agricultural stat tiOns and no department
of agriculture organized in the State Univer-
sity there was no general interest manifest
ed in levee system, and no calling together
and uniting for common purpose all persons
and corporations interested in levee protec-
ton, and there was1 no Home established for
our disabled Confederate soldiers.
All of these great interests have advanced.
The finances of the State have improved-the
assessed values have increased from $l55,O ,OUU,-
600 to $2l7 ,000, 600 assessments are more uni
form and satisfactory collections of revenue
have advanced from 49, to 96 per cent; the
interest ON the public debt is promptly pad,
an warrants OF the carren! year are pr"siIeu pro- leu
lor, anu Tue oIate rs praGIlotny on q I ~ nnn
Sis. ochool attebuahce hds lnofedeIu 'ooV,
| there are double the number of schools and
teachers ana schoolhouses' anu appaopl51h
tions for school purposes have increased
teachers instlt9tes nave oeen oiga1lzs'. anu ,Ia
a normal senool mas pee9 estaoiisneu tn5
Louisiana University ahu AgllcuiiCula' gi ,'1 .u1
Mecnanlcai COiege has oeeh eauippeo ts.iA
furnished IN all It's departments; an agrie"it"
raj department. estaDilshea anu ah apln anu
efficient professor employed; an agricultural
station has been es6ablished; tne 5 ins5'tutes ,,
~ tol Inc ',saSi Sr' ND nre IN Aonrsbnp con
I;t;on the insane ASYLUM and charitable in
stitntions have heen increased in efficiency, in
their management and additional accommo.
dat;ons Snt T ha 20 haan ,nroS;ded m ali of them
| A home for disabled Confederate veterans
has haen oroonized which. by the guppurt of
the State and her devoted women. promises to
ha . nIoca of ratraat for these natriotic veto
rams. refined and elegant in all its surround
inas and anno;ntmenfs
| The levees are in a better condition than ut
a,v tima since tba war More leyee work has
baeen done and more araLle land redeemed
thon Of any time sinca that neriod. and this
los go sonvs dora hv oonnh;n;ng individunJ eur.
norata and the River Commission interests at
q cost tn tbe state of one fonrth of the amount
evnaUded for iess affic;ant work.
1 nnarant;ne has baen established. vieilant
in its attention and skilk,ul in it's observations
new mode of disinfecdng has been inaugul-
rated, which for its efficiency is uneqnaed
and has attracted the attention OF Other en-.
lightened governments to that extent that
the distinguished presieent OF the Board OF
Health has been induces, in order to furnish
information to other governments, to provide
pamphlets and circular.1 with cuts, showing
the working OF the system
rln ,.isI,u mi arc l.
tion, out Of debt, and some of them with large
balances In their treasures anu as coiise-
qnenee parish taxes nave o9en reuuSeo ""''o
puohc improvements nave 'eoh Ni""o
lu another speech he says:
! "Goy. Nichols defaulted ON the State debt
and bonds went down. The gentlemen with
him are irving to create u belief that if he
! gets in office The debt amendment of 1884 will
Be swept away: and it was that which has
brought about the confidence of the people
abroad He advised me to submit the amend
ment to the people. One of the reform
papers stated we had large current debt.
We are now on cash basis. Every warrant
drawn is provided for. In making the state
ment they took up all the Nichols warrants
and charged them to this administration.
Had it not been for the Nichols adminlstra-
tion the present administration would be on u
strictly cash basis to-day" The Governor de-
fed any of the reformers to point out one sin
gle neglect on the part of the administration.
If they could they would have had it in their
speeches and pamphlets.
OF course tbev would, What, then. are the
arguments used to show that Gen. Nichols
shoniJ he made Governor9 They 90 about
nointine to THAT emnty sleeve" and yelling
..nersonaI apnointments, and prescription.
In other words. they are epgageo i'm a cam,
naion of sentiment. thew lose sight of the ma
terial interests of the State, or try to ma, g
tha nennIe Iose sioht Of them. and they are
aapI 80 ppnoaaa ;S soron,hIe far mora ofY;cas
all the Offices. o.. this point the Governor
f says:
A comparison of Gen. Nichols appoint
ments with those.made by me will show,
, think, tlllt he appointed as many of his
on,'r,a;nt ,s from the Democr,ts who we're
portont annointments will he found gentle
mon far and aoainst This State administration
= 7 will onIg ask that an inyest1qation be
made hv you into the character. Gualifica.
t;ons npin;ons and Democracv of those whom